Minds That Rotted Like Fruits
by Psyga315
Summary: As the war between humanity and the Overlords for the Golden Fruit begins, Mitsuzane and Ryoma reflect on their pasts and realize just what might have made them the men they are today.
1. Ryugen

"Another new form… And yet he's still the dumb Kouta that I despise…" Mitsuzane pondered at the chain fence as he reeled over from his latest defeat. He took a moment or two to think back to before he became a part of Yggdrasil.

 _… He was always stupid, even back then…_ He thought back to when Kouta began to rejoin the team after he left them to work. For the most part, he was just a dumb idiot who discovered a new toy to play with. It was only after his brother knocked some sense into him that he became someone that he'd admire… Though he was still had his dumbass moments.

 _At least my brother did_ something _right._ Mitsuzane thought. He continued to reflect on his past… For a brief moment, he felt calm. He forgot about the world's impending doom, Project Ark, the Overlords, and especially Kouta, at least as he currently saw him. In that brief window of time, he recalled how happier he was. How happier everyone _else_ was. In that past, Oren was just a small footnote in their otherwise normal lives. Jounochi was a bespectacled man who they'd just point at and laugh. Hase still had his Sengoku Driver and was alive. Takatora remained blissfully unaware of his double life. Kaito… Well, Kaito is still Kumon 'Massive Thorn On My Side' Kaito. But best of all, Kouta and Mai were unaware of Yuuya's fate. _He_ was unaware of Yuuya's fate.

 _If that Forbidden Fruit contained the power to turn back time… I would betray everyone just to grab it and repeat the happy moments of our lives._ Mitsuzane cracked a small smile before it formed back to a frown. Surely, all good things have to come to an end… He began to think of what caused his hatred for Kouta. Him being an idiot was a major contributor, but when he was friends with him, he didn't really mind it. So what actually caused it?

 _He doesn't do what he's told._ Yes. This was it. Even before the Inves attacks increased, Kouta had his moments of defying him. He was thankful that the number of times Kouta almost put him in hot water could be counted with one hand with fingers remaining. Though, now that he thought about it, when had he ever become this much of a control freak? Had to be when the good times had to end. During the Inves attack where his quest to find out what Yggdrasil was planning led to him joining it… No. He had to go back further. Back to when he found out about his brother? Something was itching in the back of his mind, insisting it was another event.

He recalled a small event. A dance-off between all the Beat Riders that ended with a showdown between all the Armored Riders. Or rather, it would be small had it not been for a monster that came and abducted Mai… That's when Mitsuzane began to think further…

 _Was that the point where everything went wrong?_ Mitsuzane thought. He tried to remember as best as he could what happened in that other world. But all he remembered was that after Kouta and that other Rider took out Bujin Gaim…

A moment of realization flashed in Mitsuzane's eyes. He pulled out a Lockseed from his pocket. It was an exact replica of Kouta's Orange Lockseed, complete with the ID of "LS-07"… but this Lockseed was blood red with black markings. Mitsuzane cracked a smile. Was this it? Could holding onto this Lockseed cause something in him? After the battle with Bujin Gaim, the Christmas Games took place and the rest was history… After that point…

It was entirely possible that this one little Lockseed began to unravel his mind… But by the time he looked at the shimmer of the Lockseed, he barely thought of the possibility of the Lockseed corrupting his mind from day one and instead thought of something else.

 _How would this Lockseed factor in killing Kouta?_ Mitsuzane let out a fit of laughter at his own thoughts.


	2. Duke

Ryouma smirked as he left the Yggdrasil International members to deal with the fallout of Project Ark. Much like the Beat Riders, he planned to throw them under the bus from the start, though only because circumstances made him desperate. Now he had free reign to get the Fruit of Knowledge. But what will he use it for? Of course, there was the whole 'rule over humanity' idea he had, though he began to reflect upon it. Will it be worth it?

There's a good chance everyone's now gunning for the Fruit… At least everyone who _knows_ about it. Sid at the very least got a head start, though who knows what happened to him. Poor fool could have gotten himself caught between a rock and a hard place for all he cared. Minato is possibly a threat, but he left her for dead, so unless she makes it out of the Helheim invasion alive, she's not a threat. There's the possibility of the two kids at Team Gaim being competitors. He's not sure where Mitsuzane went, but he's pretty sure that Kouta got his ass handed to, and even if he is still alive and kicking, he'd probably kill that kid. No… Kill is too… weak of a word.

 ** _Destroy._** _Aaaah, now that's a better word_ , he thought. He would **destroy** that kid. And anyone else who would stand in his way. _Hell, who cares about ruling Earth? I wanna watch it get_ _ **destroyed**_ _._ He smirked. It faded when he realized that the **destruction** will mean no more Earth… But he got a massive grin once he thought: _Of course, what's stopping me from simply controlling the plants to invade other worlds and_ _ **destroy**_ _them as well?_

He shook his head. What the hell is going through his mind? Why does he fascinate about **destru** \- _There I go again._ Ryouma thought. He messaged his head… right where he could feel the well hidden scars of his operation. His eyes widened. He didn't expect that little excursion outside his body would actually cause any long term consequences, but here it is, the residue of his time in Hakaider stuck to his brain like a prehistoric animal to tar.

That dreaded day when he experimented on Hakaider seemed like a hazy memory before this point, but now he can remember it clear as day. He shuddered. His mind's tainted by that robot's programming, possibly beyond any repair.

 _But why would I want to?_

He recalled a time where Kaito declared that the Helheim Forest was there to weed out the weak. Perhaps that's what it will do, above with granting its holder immense power… But of course, there's competition… He laughed.

 _Yes… I'll_ _ **destroy**_ _them all… Then grab the fruit for myself and use that power to_ _ **destroy… destroy… destroy!**_ Ryouma cackled as he rubbed his fingers across his scars. He no longer regretted Hakaider… He was thankful it happened. Because now it gave him leeway to go forth and **destroy**.

For creation of a new world for him to rule cannot begin without the **destruction** of the old world.


End file.
